Reference design for Gigabit Ethernet front end

Würth Elektronik has released its RD016 reference design and the corresponding application note ANP116. With this, it offers valuable information for developing EMC-compliant Gigabit Ethernet applications. Developers receive an optimised circuit design and the best possible layout for their Gigabit Ethernet front end together with all technical data.

“Gigabit Ethernet has established itself as a networking standard in office and industrial environments. Nevertheless, there is little information in the relevant technical literature about EMC aspects of Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. We are closing this gap with our reference design,” says Gerhard Stelzer, senior technical editor at Würth Elektronik eiSos.

The reference design provides two interfaces, a USB Type C (USB 3.1) and a 1 Gigabit RJ45/Ethernet interface. The Gigabit-Ethernet-USB adapter was produced based on the EVB-LAN7800LC evaluation board from Microchip. The circuit board uses a four-layer stack-up and is powered through USB. The first part of the document RD016 provides the technical basics required for understanding the reference design. The second part details the 1GB Ethernet interface up to the physical layer (PHY in the OSI model). EMC aspects are covered in detail in App Note ANP116. Design data is provided for reconstructing the reference board (Altium Designer/Gerber data).